Car door



G. MADLAND Jan. 7, 1936.

CAR DOOR Filed Feb. 1, 1932 3 Sheets-Sheet l @TTY Jan. 7, 1936. G. MADLAND 2,027,242

V CAR DOOR i Filed Feb. 1, 1952 5 sheets-Sheena l mi Geef/EL. MHD/HND 4 G. MADLAND 2,027,242

- CAR DOOR Filed Feb. 1, 1952 s sheets-sheet s Jan. 7, 1936.

Patented Jan. 7, 1936 UNETED STATES PATENT OFFICE om Doon A Gabriel Madland,Chicago, Ill., assgnor, by mesne assignments, to The Youngstown Steel Door Company, Cleveland, Ohio, a corporation of This invention relates to car doors and concerns itself essentially with the construction of metallic doors which, in lowered position, are frictionally retained against movement and are capable Vof sliding movement in the elevated position, and with elevating and supporting mechanism for said doors.

It is an object of this invention to provide metallic doors of the lift type in which the parts of the lifting mechanism with exception of the operating lever are hidden.

A further object is the provision of "metallic doors so modied or designed that liftingmechanism may be applied thereto with themoving f parts thereof, excepting the operating lever, hidden fromy View and protected by the door.

A further object is to provide a metallic door having a horizontal corrugation adjacent an edge thereof, said corrugation adapted to receive an actuating bar of lifting and supporting mechanism applied to the door to protect said bar;v

A further object is to provide novel elevating means for sliding car doors and novel means for connecting an operating lever included in said elevating means.

Other objects wil become clear as the description of the invention proceeds.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a partial elevation of a lift door embodying the invention.

- the door in elevated position.

Figure 4 is a vertical section taken on line 4--4 of Figure 1.

Figure 5 is a horizontal section taken on line 5-5 of Figure 1.

Figure 6 is an elevational detail of the assembly of the cover and backing plates of a hanger employed on the door. Y

Figure 'l is a horizontal section taken on line 1-1 of Figure 6. p

Figure S is a plan detail of a roller housing.

Figure 9 is an elevational detail of a roller housing.

Referring to the embodiment of the invention illustrated in the drawings, the numeral I0 designates a metallic door having a panel Illa provided preferably with a plurality of horizontally extending corrugations II and a corrugation I2 adjacent the lower edge of fthe door and of somewhat less extent than the corrugations ,"II so as to leave flat portions in said panel between the ends of the corrugation I2V and the vertical margins of the door. The door is adapted to be supported for sliding movement upon va track I3 so as to close an opening customarily provided in the side of a railway house car. The door is of the type known as` lift door which, in lowered position, is adapted to have frictional engagement with the track I3 in order to prevent sliding movement of said door. Mechanism is provided on this type of door adapted, upon` operation thereof, to elevate the door so as to bring about disengagement between said door and the track and support upon antifriction means, whereby the door may be moved in the desired direction. p

Lifting mechanism heretofore employed for this purpose which utilizes an actuating barpar ticularly where said lifting mechanism has been employed upon metallic doors, were so designed that the actuating bar was positioned `upon the outside of the door. In this `position of the actuating bar it is apparent that while said bar is effective for its intended operation it is subject,`

because of such position, to possible injury. No design or construction of lifting mechanism utilizing such a bar has, as far as can be ascertained, permitted said bar to be protected in its operative position without, possibly, the addition of extra parts. however, is believed to provide aconstruction and arrangement whereby the actuating bar may, b'y economical modification of the door, be protected thereby.

The lifting arrangement of the instant invention is preferably contained between a cover plate and a backing plate so yas to constitute therewith a hanger unit. A plurality of hanger units I4`I 5 are secured respectively adjacent the lower corners of the door to the said flat portions. 'Ihe cover plate IG and the backing plate I'l of the hanger unit I 4A are p rovided with aligned bearings I8 and I9, respectively, within which the rollei` housing 29 of the lifting arrangement is adapted to be eccentrically journaled by means of the trunnions 2|) and 22. The roller housing 20 is provided with aligned `bearings 23 and 24 adapted toreceive a pin 25 upon which a roller 2S is rotatably mounted. The cover plate I6 is provided with a flange 2l adjacent one end thereof and with a parallel flange 23 offset from the flange 21 adjacent the opposite end thereof.` The backing plate Il is provided with flanges 29 and'30 adapted to engage the flanges 2'I and 28, respectively, provided cn the cover plate I 6 to which the flanges 29 and 30 are'adapted to be The instant novel arrangement,`

secured. It is clear from the foregoing arrangement of the cover and backing plates that the roller housing with its roller mounted therein is adapted to be journaled between the backing and cover plates and that said plates are then adapted to be secured together so that the hanger may be formed as a unit prior to its attachment toV the door. The roller housing is provided with a boss 3l extending preferably from one side ofthe roller housing adjacent one corner thereof. This boss 3l, in addition to its function hereinafter set forth, overlaps the backing plate in the-hanger assembly to serve as a stop, limiting the angular displacement of the roller housing within the hanger. Extending from the cover plate I6 is an end portion 32 conforming to and adapted to overlap the adjacent end of the lower corrugation I2 formed in the door for a purpose which will hereinafter appear.

hanger I4 secured to the lower left hand corner ofthe door. It is to be understood that this description is applicable to the hanger I5 secured adjacent the lower right hand corner of the door with the exception that the portion of said hanger corresponding to the portion 32 of hanger I4 extends to the left as viewed in Figure 1, while the portion 32 of the hanger I4 extends to the right. Furthermore, since in the preferred embodiment of this invention an operating lever which is employed in the lifting mechanism is mounted adjacent the forward edge of the door the hanger I5 is not provided with an open bear-` ing corresponding to the bearing I8 formed in the cover plate I6 of the hanger I4 and the roller housing assembled with the hanger I 5 is not provided with a trunnion corresponding to trunnion 2I which is journaled in the bearing I8 and extends beyond the cover plate. It is to be understood, however, that if the operating lever is vmounted upon the right han'd hanger I5 said hanger will be modified in accordance with the construction of the hanger I to provide for the mounting of the operating lever.

, Simultaneous operation of the roller housings provided in each of the hangers is desirable and is effected by means of an actuating bar 33, the ends of which are provided with openings adapted to receive the boss 3| provided on the roller housings. As heretofore indicated, itis desirable that Such bar be protected to avoid injury thereto. In the instant invention the bar lies mainly behind the door so as to be protected thereby. More specifically, the bar 33 is positioned with- .in the corrugation I2 provided adjacent the lower edge of the door. To permit engagement of the ends of said bar with the roller housings the ends of the corrugation I2 are coped or cut out to permit extension of said ends of the bar through :the ends of the'corrugation. The exposed ends of the bar are protected against injury by the portion 32 on the hanger I l! and the corresponding portion on the hanger I 5. These portions, as heretofore noted, conform to and overlap the ad- '.jacent ends of the corrugation I2.

shown in Figure 9 of the drawings opposite portions of said trunnion are cut away as indicated at 35 and 36, whereby said trunnion is adapted to extend into a correspondingly formed opening in the operating lever 34 to effect rotation of the froller housing upon movement of the lever.

The

The foregoing description of the hanger assembly has been directed to the lever is provided with a journal portion 31 adapted to be received within the bearing provided by the opening 38 formed in the cover plate through which the trunnion 2l of the roller housing extends. For this purpose it is to` be noted 5' that the trunnion 2| is of less dimension than the opening 38 formed in the cover plate. By this arrangement the operating lever may be set into the hanger, reducing the extension of said lever outwardly from the door and thereby 10 avoiding projection of said lever beyond the tunnel clearance line.

No securing means, such as rivets, connect the lever to the trunnion in the -construction above dened. To retain said lever upon the trunnion 15 the cover plate I6 is provided with a flange 39 extending substantially parallel and in spaced relation to the cover plate. This flange 39 in lconjunction with the cover plate adjacent thereto provided on said lever whereby said lever is 30j properly guided in its operating movement. Said quadrant is provided with shoulders 44 and 45, the latter of which may serve as a stop to limit the downward movement of the operating lever.

It is to be observed that the operating lever may 35 be assembled with its corresponding hanger before said hanger is applied to the doorand that after such assembly the movement of the operating lever is such that disengagement between the flanges 39 and 40 provided respectively on the hanger and on the lever is prevented.

. It may be pointed out that the actuating bar 33 connected to the roller housings may be further protected in its position within the' corrugation I2 by means of a cover plate 46 extending 45 across said corrugation as disclosed in Figure 4 of the drawings. It is to be observed, furthermore, from this gure that the ends of the actuating bar are flattened so as to facilitate engagement between the openings in said flattened ends 50 and the bosses .3| provided on the roller housings It is believed to be apparent from the foregoing that the actuating bar 33 is completely protected by the door without necessitating the addition of further elements to said door. Itis 55 obvious, furthermore, that numerous changes and modifications in the embodiment disclosed will occur to those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of the invention disclosed.

It is intended, therefore, that all such changes o@ and modications be compren-ended within the invention, which is to be limited only by the scope one of said housings Ahaving a hub extending agognata throiiglf'an opening formed f in its corresponding cover plate; andan'operating lever'mounted upon saidfflib':saidV lever being journaledin `the open'- ing formed in saidcover plate;

ZETIni combination', a"slidable car door having afrnetallic;` panel, va hanger secured adjacent each lwericorn'er' `of `said door, said hangers comprising-arcoverplata abackingplate, a roller housing eccentlicall'yfjournaled between said plates and a roller-rotatably mounted in said housing, a barY connecting said housings for simultaneous operationyfsaiddbar lying mainly inwardly of said panelyfandthe-end p0rtions ofsaid` bar lying outwardly of said panel and behind saidcover plates,

"one of said housings" having a hub extending throughan'openingformed in its corresponding cover plate, and an operating lever mounted upon said hub, and means carried by said cover plate overlapping said lever to preventremoval thereof from said hub.

3. In a railway house car having a door opening, a slidable door for closing said opening, said door comprising a panel, a plurality of spaced lifting devices secured directly upon a portion of `said panel on the outside of said panel and `means connecting said devices for simultaneous operation, said means being positioned upon the inside of said panel.

4. In a railway house car having a door opening, a slidable door for closing said opening, said door comprising a panel, a plurality of spaced lifting devices secured directly upon av portion of said panel on the outside of said panel and a connecting bar for said devices positioned inwardly of said panel, the ends of said bar extending outwardly of said panel and connecting said elevating devices for simultaneous operalon.

5. In a railway house carV having a door opening, a slidable door for closing said opening, said door comprising a panel, a plurality of spaced lifting devices mounted upon the outside of said panel and a longitudinally movable bar positioned inwardly of said panel, the ends of said bar extending outwardly of said panel and connecting said lifting devices for simultaneous operation.

6. In a railway house car having a door opening, a slidable door for closing said opening, said door comprising a panel, a plurality of spaced lifting devices mounted upon the outside of said panel, a longitudinally movable bar positioned inwardly of said panel, the ends of said bar extending outwardly of said panel and connecting said lifting devices for simultaneous operation and means secured to said panel for covering said lifting devices and `said outwardly extendj ing ends of the bar.

7. In a slidable metallic door, in combination, a panel, an outwardly extending horizontal corrugation formed in said panel adjacent an edge thereof having open ends, lifting devices secured to the outside of said panel adjacent the ends of said corrugation, a bar lying in said corrugation, the ends of said bar extending through the ends of said corrugation to the outside of said panel and connecting said devices for simultaneous operation.

8. In a slidable metallic door, in combination, a panel, an outwardly extending horizontal corrugation formed in said panel adjacent an edge thereof having open ends, lifting devices secured to the outside of said panel adjacent the ends of said corrugation, a longitudinally movable bar lying in said corrugation, the ends of said bar extending through the ends of said corrugation tothe outside of saidpa'nel and connectingsfidi theends of said bar extending through the ends? ofsaid corrugationto the outside of said-panel and connectingY said devices for simultaneous `operation, and means secured to said panel for' covering said devices and said ends of the bar.

10. In a railway house car, a slidable door having a metallic panel, a hanger comprising a liftingdevice and a cover-plate secured to said door adjacent each lower corner and projecting outwardly thereof, a bar connecting said lifting devices for simultaneous operation, said bar lying upon the inside of said panel with the ends thereof extending to the outside of said panel and behind said cover plates, an operating lever engaging one of said lifting devices, said lever and the adjacent cover plate having interlocking relationship to prevent disengagement of said lever from said lifting devices.

l1. In a railway house car, a slidable door, a lifting device secured to said door adjacent each lower corner thereof. means for covering said lifting devices, a bar connecting said lifting devices for simultaneous operating, an operating lever engaging one of said lifting devices, said lever and adjacent covering means having interlocking relationship to prevent disengagement of said lever from said lifting device.

12. In a railway house car, a slidable door, a lifting device secured to said door adjacent each lower corner thereof, means for covering said lifting devices, one of said lifting devices having a trunnion extending through an opening in adjacent covering means, an operating lever mounted upon said trunnion, said lever and said covering means being provided with fianges having interlocking engagement to prevent disengagement of said lever from said trunnion and means connecting said lifting devices for simultaneous operation.

13. In a slidable metallic door, in combination, a metallic panel, a horizontal corrugation formed in said panel adjacent the lower edge thereof and terminating within the vertical margins of said door to leave flat portions between said margins and the ends of said corrugation lying in the main plane of said panel, lifting devices secured to said flat portions, a bar lying in said corrugation, the ends of said bar extending through openings formed in said corrugation and connecting said lifting devices for simultaneous operation.

14. In a slidable metallic door, in combination, a metallic panel, an outwardly extending horizontal corrugation formed in said panel adjacent the lower edge thereof and terminating within the vertical marginsof said door to leave fiat portions between said margins and the ends of said corrugation lying in the main plane of said panel, lifting devices secured to said flat portions, a longitudinally movable bar lying in said corrugation, the ends of said bar extending through openings formed in the ends of said corrugation to the outside of said panel and connecting said lifting devices for simultaneous operation.

15. In a railway house car, a slidable door, a lifting device secured to said door adjacent each lower corner thereof, means for covering said lifting devices, one of said lifting devices having a trunnion extending through an opening in the adjacent covering means, an operating lever mounted upon said trunnion, a boss provided on said lever journaled in said opening in thecovering means, said lever and said covering means being provided with flanges having interlocking engagement lto prevent disengagement of said leverfrom said trunnon and means connecting said lifting devices for simultaneous operation.

16. In a railway house car, a slidable door, a

- lifting device secured to said door adjacent each lower corner thereof, means for covering said lifting devices, one of said lifting devices having a trunnion extending through an opening in the adjacent covering means, an operating lever mounted upon said trunnion, a boss provided on said lever journaled in said opening in the covering means and means connecting said lifting devices for simultaneous operation.

17. In combination, a slidable oar door having a metallic panel, a vhanger secured adjacent each lower corner of said door upon the outside of said paneLeach of said hangers comprising a cover plate, a backing plate, a roller housing eccentrically journaled between said plates and a roller rotatably mounted in said housing, a bar connecting said housings for simultaneous operation, said bar lying mainly inwardly of said panel and extending behindv said cover plates and means for actuating said roller housings.

GABRIEL MADLAiND. 

